When his brother Carter passed away in 1966, there was some question in Ralph Stanley's mind whether or not he'd continue performing his beloved old-time mountain music (he never considered the Stanley Brothers to be true ... more &raquobluegrass). Luckily for music fans, he decided that this music was his calling and chose to press on. By 1971, his Clinch Mountain Boys were again one of the finest ensembles in bluegrass. These 20 songs come from Stanley's renaissance 1971-1973 period (with one stray tune from 1976), one of his most productive post-Carter eras, and showcases the classic Stanley sound--raw and plaintive--across the classic Stanley repertoire: old-time folk songs mixed with staples from the Carter Family, Mainer's Mountaineers, and, of course, the Stanley Brothers. Veteran fiddler Curly Ray Cline and lead singer Roy Lee Centers offer sterling support for Stanley's wailing vocals and versatile banjo, which covers a variety of styles from clawhammer to three-finger. Teenagers Ricky Skaggs and Keith Whitley appear on several cuts as well. For die-hards, a more thorough survey of this peak period is available on a wonderful four-CD box set. --Marc Greilsamer&laquo less

Synopsis

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When his brother Carter passed away in 1966, there was some question in Ralph Stanley's mind whether or not he'd continue performing his beloved old-time mountain music (he never considered the Stanley Brothers to be true bluegrass). Luckily for music fans, he decided that this music was his calling and chose to press on. By 1971, his Clinch Mountain Boys were again one of the finest ensembles in bluegrass. These 20 songs come from Stanley's renaissance 1971-1973 period (with one stray tune from 1976), one of his most productive post-Carter eras, and showcases the classic Stanley sound--raw and plaintive--across the classic Stanley repertoire: old-time folk songs mixed with staples from the Carter Family, Mainer's Mountaineers, and, of course, the Stanley Brothers. Veteran fiddler Curly Ray Cline and lead singer Roy Lee Centers offer sterling support for Stanley's wailing vocals and versatile banjo, which covers a variety of styles from clawhammer to three-finger. Teenagers Ricky Skaggs and Keith Whitley appear on several cuts as well. For die-hards, a more thorough survey of this peak period is available on a wonderful four-CD box set. --Marc Greilsamer

CD Reviews

"A Japanese acquaintance of mine, now a fine banjo player, tells the story of how he once asked: "Bruegrass? What is Bruegrass?".

He found out for himself; but if I wanted to answer the question now, as quickly and as informatively as possible, I would play the interlocutor a track from this CD -- specifically, "Going to Georgia". It has everything that exemplifies the best in traditional Bluegrass: drive, rock-solid rhythm, great vocals, spine-tingling harmony, spot-on instrumental solos from banjo, mandolin, fiddle & guitar, and lyrics so simple they verge on the cretinous.

Ralph Stanley is (with Earl Scruggs) one of the few remaining Grand Old Men of Bluegrass, and this compilation of tracks recorded between 1971 & 1973 catches him not only at his personal peak, but with one of the greatest bands in history, which included both Ricky Skaggs and Keith Whitley.

The material is mostly traditional, with some re-recordings of songs Ralph had previously done with his brother Carter, who died young in 1966.

The booklet contains extensive and intelligent notes and complete recording details, the stereo image is excellent, and there's not a bad track on the album.

Traditional Bluegrass doesn't come any better than this."

Some gems in here

C. Weber | CT USA | 08/27/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Bluegrass is like cilantro. Distinctive taste that you either like or don't like, or it grows on you. While it may not be up your alley, this cd contains some great tracks (1, 10, 15) worth having. Impeccable performance; tight, raw sound. At least expose yourself to some respectable talent. How I came about this CD is quite...ah...unexpected. When I was a kid, I loved the Carmen Sandiego USA game, and ended up playing it just to hear the songs rather than catch criminals. One of the songs, after a little research, was "Bound To Ride," and shortly found this CD afterwards."